6 Cool Places To Buy Glasses

The brand’s ethos is to create affordable glasses so you can own multiple styles to suit all occasions. Frames are designed from scratch by the in-house team in Amsterdam, making them look much pricier then they actually are. Don’t know your prescription? Book online and visit the store for a free eye test. If you can’t make it down to a store, use the complimentary home try-on service where you can pick up to four of your favourite frames (no prescription included) and try them on for five days.

Prices From: £98    

 
10 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9LN; and 15 Brewer Street, Soho, W1F 0RJ
AceAndTate.com
 

This young French brand recently set up shop on the King’s Road. By cutting out the middleman, glasses designed and assembled in France are available for less than £100 including prescription lenses. For each pair purchased, Jimmy Fairley gives a pair to one of its partner charities.   

Prices From: £99    
 
170 King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3 4UP
JimmyFairly.com
 

Founded in Kings Cross in 2013, Cubitts hand-crafts its frames in 50 stages over six weeks from its London workshop. Look out for cool collaborations with designers like Tom Dixon or opt for its made-to-measure service (from £425) with which you can create a brand- new pair of specs or personalise an existing style. Cubitts’ bespoke service (from £725) is a chance to design your dream frames, fitted to your exact face measurements and hand made in the Kings Cross store.     

Prices From: £125

Various locations
Cubitts.com
 

Find great customer service, frames stylists and eye-care specialists under one roof at Ollie Quin, which bills itself as ‘your favourite neighbourhood optical’. Designed in-house, these frames have quality in mind, are made from thoughtfully sourced materials and start at £105 including prescription. Combine that with the personalized eye car consolation you will receive when you step into a store, buying a pair of specs has never been easier.

Prices From: £105

Various locations
OllieQuinn.co.uk

Founded in Australia in 2012, Bailey Nelson offers contemporary glasses at great prices. The frames are made out of the highest- quality cellulose acetates, metal alloys or titanium, with each sheet of acetate taking up to ten weeks to create. All frames are cut individually, making them unique. Private eye exams (usually £20) are complimentary if you buy a pair of specs.      

Prices From: £105 
    
29 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8NA; and 69 Brushfield Street, Spitalfields, E1 6AA
BaileyNelson.co.uk

This British brand uses Italian techniques to create cool and individual frames. Both of its London stores house a team of specialists to help choose the right style for you. Expect really wearable frames in an array of colours, handcrafted in Italy at affordable prices. Eye tests are free and take 30 minutes.

Prices From: £100     

61 Broadwick Street, Soho, W1F 9QT; and 42 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, W11 2AB
FinlayAndCo.com